I agree. Winning those games did NOTHING for a single player in our organization going forward.

If we end up having to use our best chip, Tay, to move up a few spots, then while I'll be happy to do that, I'll also know that that shouldn't have been necessary. We should have gotten the player we wanted without using our chip. Tay could have been (then) traded for something else we needed.

Now, that said, it's important to remember that at best, you need 9 key guys on your roster. With whoever we draft and trade up for (assuming we do), plus Stuckey, Gordon, Bynum, JJ, Daye and Summers - I count 6 or 7 guys on the roster (will Daye and Summers both work out? will either work out?) who are keepers, plus whoever we get in the 2011 draft and for trading Rip's then excellent nearly expiring contract.

But we really need to move up if the guy we really need doesn't otherwise fall to us. We've got to get that young big guy to anchor our front line.

Joe is pissin me off now, and I am a JoeD defender all day long. Defense wasn't our problem last year, our problem was we struggled to score 90pts on any given night, putting together consecutive 20pt qtrs was darn near impossible, so can we just learn how to be a plus .500 team? Defense wins championships, offense wins games, in order to win a championship you fist have to win some games and make the playoffs. Once you start making the playoffs players learn the level of intensity and defensive committment needed to win a championship. Joe go get some guys that can put the ball in the hoop and get us into the playoffs.

If we end up having to use our best chip, Tay, to move up a few spots, then while I'll be happy to do that, I'll also know that that shouldn't have been necessary. We should have gotten the player we wanted without using our chip. Tay could have been (then) traded for something else we needed.

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You can't trade $11M salary for a draft pick. There needs to be other pieces involved to bridge the gap. A lottery pick is a guaranteed what, $4-5M in salary? So you need to take back another $5M or so to trade away Prince. Correct?

You can't trade $11M salary for a draft pick. There needs to be other pieces involved to bridge the gap. A lottery pick is a guaranteed what, $4-5M in salary? So you need to take back another $5M or so to trade away Prince. Correct?

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if the trade is made before the draft, the draft pick has zero value per say.... if i have it right. actually when do they actually have "value" when they actually sign there rookie contract?

I think if both trading teams are under the cap then salaries do not have to match. Not sure if its the receiving team that has to be under after the trade or both teams. Couple of years ago Camby ( 10 mil/yr ) was traded for a 2nd round pick when Denver wanted to cut some salary.

I think if both trading teams are under the cap then salaries do not have to match. Not sure if its the receiving team that has to be under after the trade or both teams. Couple of years ago Camby ( 10 mil/yr ) was traded for a 2nd round pick when Denver wanted to cut some salary.

Villanueva can be a good rebounder and an adequate defender. The first step would be to stop shooting – not completely, but stop looking for shots and having plays called him. Villanueva expends way too much energy on offense.

Not sure I see how this would help. Ok, he stops working on the offensive end, gets a few more boards and becomes an adequate defender. Big deal. Why would you play an adequte rebounder and defender who doesn't score? And of course the main thing the Pistons offense needs to to drop out someone who as plays run for them. Especially since only Rip gets plays run for him now. Maybe he should just have them all and they could announce that to the opposition before each game. Maybe hand out some mimeographs of the three plays.

CV is far from a perfect player, but taking away the main reason he's on the floor seems kind of silly.

We need an eraser or two in the middle of our defense in the paint - someone who doesn't need a lot of help against top offensive players and who can make the area a no-fly zone.

When that happens, our guards and wing players won't have to cheat as much as they do now.

Our only guard who defends well and who keeps guys in front of him - even bigger guys who try and fail to muscle him when he plays SF - is Stuckey.

JJ is great at moving his feet - and his agility is incredible. He can become a first rate defender in this league.

Daye's length gives him possibilities, but he's not quick footed, so his ability to defend will depend on how smart he is and plays. I think his BB IQ and willingness to mix it up are both quite good. As he gets stronger, I think we're going to love him on this team. And I still think our future would be better with him at SG, JJ at SF.

It's PF and C we need to address. Maybe Summers can be the PF - we'll see - the potential is there.

PF is just as big of a hole. Our current solution is Charlie V, and a future solution does not exist on this roster.

I understand Daye isn't bulky and isn't much of a post player so people think he should play SG, but he can't dribble the ball. Guys that tall don't even sniff SG without ball handling skills. T-Mac is around Daye's height, but he can put the ball on the floor. When Daye does it, it's a disaster waiting to happen.

I understand Daye isn't bulky and isn't much of a post player so people think he should play SG, but he can't dribble the ball. Guys that tall don't even sniff SG without ball handling skills. T-Mac is around Daye's height, but he can put the ball on the floor. When Daye does it, it's a disaster waiting to happen.

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Thank you. Watching Daye dribble up the court is like watching a slow motion train wreck.